Flock – A Concept For Future Of Work

In order to bring to life PSFK’s Future of Work report, PSFK Labs challenged creative agencies from around the world to generate product and service concepts that leverage the trends identified within the report. This concept was created by LIVE with DESIGN.
‘Flock’ is a collaborative network that aids job seekers to build interdisciplinary skills, create connections, and receive expert advice while working on short term challenges. Flock draws it’s collaborative structure from a folktale. A ﬂock of doves seeking food become trapped in a net. Each one struggles to escape. Then a plan is devised. Working together, each dove lifts the net one at a time and successfully ﬂies away. Flock’s underlying value is our strength in unity. It is an evolving social network, available to members for 40 days. This encourages members to come together, gain skills in short sprints and then ascend professionally.

Flock encompasses projects focused on team building. Its members bring their skills and experience to help nonproﬁts and small business grow, by developing solutions for business and design challenges. Challenges are formed across industries. The ﬂock encourages in-person group brainstorming and includes digital tools for organizing project milestones and responsibilities.

For example, a nonproﬁt or a local business submits a challenge they’d like to address. The challenge is to make a food supplement for low-income students that increases focus during exams and study. An interdisciplinary team of Flock professionals collaborates on a product concept. The team may include nutritionists, packaging designers, graphic designers, marketing and other business professionals. Each member adds ﬂuency in their domain expertise while obtaining an understanding of other roles in the work ecosystem.

Feedback is part of the iterative collaboration. The Flock initiates real responses while building bonds with local business owners and nonproﬁts. Projects are reviewed at multiple stages, for an unique feedback loop from businesses participants, mentors and team-members. Members gain valuable insights to client relationships. Expertise and teamwork are reinforced with member proﬁle guidance from professional peers. Members are encouraged to comment on their team’s proﬁles. Flock has ‘cooing’ to show support or a nudge! Flock enables rating team members’ skills and writing recommendations based on shared experiences.

Flock builds on team skills and adds to portfolios that can lead to future work while investing in the community. With increased complexity in managing organizations, the future workplace welcomes Flock as a development platform for collaborative skills.

Catch more Future of Work sneak peeks as we reveal highlights from the full report throughout the month, including new trends, futuristic concepts, expert interviews and opportunities. Still want more? Watch the summary presentation, buy the entire report and see everything that you’ve missed so far here. Join the conversation to get involved and share your ideas about the future of work with the #FoW hashtag on Twitter.